Friday, February 23, 2007

Cat shot in head by pellet gun

This is the point where half the people on the cat forums will threaten to beat the perp to death with a ball bat, should they ever find him. What they will not do is assess any blame on the owner who allowed the cat to stray or feel any qualms about the wildlife this cat may have been murdering. I don't advise this, by the way. Trap the cats and take them to animal control.

A cat that survived being shot three times in the head by a pellet gun is looking for a foster family. The 1-year-old tabby is currently under observation in the Arizona Humane Society's Second Chance Animal Hospital™. On Feb. 9, an AHS Emergency Animal Medical Technician (EAMT™) received a call regarding an injured stray cat who presumably had a piece of metal stuck in his face. The EAMT discovered the lethargic and disoriented feline cowering underneath a vehicle parked in an industrial lot located near 10th Street and Baseline Road. AHS chief veterinarian Nancy Bradley said one of the three pellets entered behind the left side of the cat's skull, leaving an entry wound in the front of his head. The other two pellets were found behind the cat's left eye and below the left side of his neck. The latter pellet was surgically removed by Bradley. "Although we have had quite a few cats brought in that have been shot, I've not seen an injury quite like this before," Bradley said. "It is definitely a miracle that he's still alive and doing well so far. This act was certainly intentional and whoever purposely shot him was at a pretty close range." Now the cat, dubbed Valentine by AHS staff, is stable enough to go to a foster family until he fully recovers in hopes of finding a permanent home. Valentine may develop future neurological damage, which may eventually cause him to loose his left eye, but Bradley hopes he will find a good home. "Valentine deserves every chance we can give him," Bradley said. "Through it all, he's been extremely affectionate, and a true sweetheart, hence his name. Many animals suffer a slow, lingering death having been shot and we're glad we were there for him." The AHS and Silent Witness are offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to the arrest or indictment of the person(s) suspected of purposely shooting him with a pellet gun. Anyone with information is urged to call Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS. LINK